Pneumatic tire for automobiles and other vehicles.



c. A. LEWIS.l PNEUMATIG TIRE FOR AUTOMOBILES AND OTHER VEHICLES.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII PT. 28, 1908. 933,715. Patented sepa?, 1909. 2EEEEEEEEEEEE 1.

G. A. LEWIS. PNEUMATIG TIRE PoR AUTOMOBILES AND OTHER-VBHIGLES-rAPPLICATION FILED SEPT. 28,1908.

Patented Sept. 7, 1909.

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UNITED .STATES EBATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES kA. LEWIS, OF DENVER, COLORADO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF 'IO WILLIAMA. DIBOLL, OF DENVER, COLORADO.

PNEUMAI'IC TIRE FOR AUTOMOBILES AND OTHER VEHICLES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 7, 1909.

Application filed September 28, 1908. Serial No. 455,212.

The object of the invention is to providea wheel with a hollow rubbertire, which is maintained in an expanded condition by an inner pneumatictube, upon which is supported a plurality of plungers which bear againstthe inner surface of the tire, the tube being suitably supported uponlthe wheel fell Tlhe invention further consists in means for maintainingVa predetermined uniform space between the plungers and also in variousdetails of construction, all of which are fully set forth in theaccompanying specification and yclaims and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings',.in which- ,Figure 1is a vertical, longitudinal,sectional view through a portion of anautoinobilewlieel, constructed inaccordance with my invention. Fig. 2, is an enlarged vertical,

V transverse, sectional view. on the .line 2 2 of Fig. l. i Fig. 3, is aView similar to Fig. 2, showing a modication in the form of inner tubesupporting saddle, which permits the use lof a different form of tire.Fig. 4, is a perspective view of one of the vplungers. Fig. 5, is aperspective view, reduced of a portion of a saddle of the form shown'in' Fig;

l 2. Fig. 6, is a side elevation of one of the spacers, .which liebetween .the adjacent ends 40 of the plungers, and Fig. 7 is atransverse, sectional view of Fig. 6, on the line 7-7. Referring to theaccompanying drawings the numeral l, indicates the felly of anautomobile wheel, and 2,V the clencher rim,

'which is secured to the felly in the usual manner. .Ahollow tire 3, ofyany of the styles in general use is secured to the clencher rim in thewell known manner by means of its engaging flanges 4, but before thetire is secured to the rim, the parts or elements constitutingmyinvention are placed within the same, and comprise a plurality ofplungers, a pneumatic. tube upon which the plungers are supported, aplurality of curved the. screw holes.

saddles which support the tube and spacing means for maintaining auniform distance between the adjoining plungers. For greater clearness,I will describe the parts in the reverse order, beginning with thesaddles which support the other elements.

The saddles 5, form a complete circle or ring, which surrounds theclencher rim and they comprise segmental sections, which are placed endto end. Four of these saddles are preferably employed and each saddlecomprises a hollow, metallic structure, consisting of an outer bridgeplate 6, which is curved transversely and also on a line parallel withthe curvature of the felly, side plates i 7 and converging plates 8,which form a V shaped bearing edge, which rests upon the annular lips 9of the tire. The saddles having the V shaped bearing edges, are thepreferred form of saddle and are used in connection -with tires of theconstruction shown in Fig. 2, where the annular lips meet and form a Vshaped out-line in cross section, but where the style of tire 3A isemployed as illustrated in Fig. 3, the bearing faces 10 of the saddlesare flat transversely and rest directly upon the clencher rim, while thesides of the saddles lie between the annular lips of the tire. Aplurality of screw holes 11, are formed in the bearing face of eachsaddleyand nuts l2, are brazed, or otherwise secured to the innersurfaces of the bearing faces in line with nuts are beveled to lieagainst the inclined ysides of the bearing face when the preferredv formof saddle is used, but when saddles having flat bearing faces are used,ordinary nuts 13 are employed.

The felly yis provided with radial holes, corresponding in number withthe holes in the saddles yand vin each one of these holes saddles, so asto rest in the concaved faces thereof, the tube being provided with theOpposite edges of these usual nipple valve, not shown, to-which an airpump may be attached for inliating the tube. A plurality of tiresupporting plungers 17 are placed upon the tube and these plungers areeach in the form of a short metal block, or section, comprising a bodyportion 18, which is curved transversely and longitudinally to conformto the curvature of the inner surface of the tire, and side plates 19,which depend from the body portion and form a channel 20, which iscurved transversely and longitudinally to conform to the curvature ofthe inflatable tube. The plungers straddle the tube, which is thuscompletely incased and support and hold the tire in an expandedcondition, when the tube 16 is inflated. The plates 19 overlap thesaddles a short distance and prevent the plungers from twisting ormclining as they are moved inward and outward under the weight of thevehicle while the same is uplungers, while the fiat members or flanges23 of the spacers rest upon the adjacent ends of the plungers, as willappear by reference to Fig. 1. These spacers not only maintain a uniformdistance between the adjoining endsof the plungers, but they also act asbridges, connecting the plungers so as to form a continuous support forthe tire, and as each spacer rests upon two adjoining plungers, thepressure exerted upon each plunger will be communicated successively tothe next adjoining plunger in order of the direction of rotation, thusmaintaining a uniform resiliency throughout the revolution of the wheel.

In order to more thoroughly protect the tire against wear throughcontact with the plungers and spacers, I place a strip 24 of suitablematerial, preferably leather around the plungers and spacers, so thatthe tire will rest directly upon the strip. This completes thearrangement of the parts constituting my invention, and it only remainsto secure the edges of the tire to the clencher rim and tighten thebolts 15, which draw the saddles in toward the clencher rim and clampthem against the lips of the tire, after which the inner tube isiniiated, thereby forcing the plungers against the tire, which isexpanded and held in an expanded condition by the air pressure in thetube.

The construction herein set forth-produces a resilient tire, and one inwhich the pneumatic tube is protected against any possibility ofpuncture, while the practically continuous ring formed by` the plungersand spacers affords smooth, even and uniform contact of the tire, withthe surface of the road or street throughout the revlutin of the wheel.v v

The invention is ladaptable to any of the forms of tires in present useand requires no change in the construction ofthe present form of wheel,other than inA providing'the bolt holes through which saddle "securingbolts are passed. I

Having described the inventionuwhat lI claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a device as specified, the combina-l tion with a wheel felly .anda hollow tire upon said felly, of ya plurality of saddles within thetire, which form a Vcontinuous structure and'rest upon the annular lipsof the tire, bolts passing through the felly, which clamp the saddlesupon the said annular lips, said saddles having concaved faces, whichform a continuous channehavpneumatic tube in said channel, a pluralityofV plungers, which ystraddle, thetube and support the tire in anexpandedcondition, and means for maintaining uniformity yo f spacebetween the adjoining Aends lof,the`'plangers.

2. In a device as s ecifiedfthe Cfllelbination with a wheel fellylyandLa'hollowf: tire thereon of a pneumatic tubewithiniheftire, aplurality 'of saddles varrangedinf"circular form and having channeled'faciesfforfsupporting the tube, and means, suchfasgbolts, which passthrough the fellylfonclaiiiping the saddles upon the annulanlipsoffthetire, a plurality of plungers, which-straddle the tube and overlap thesaddles, said'plungers Vbeing adapted to hold the Hti'Ife,l in an"expanded conditionand spacing devices .interposed between the ends ofthe adjoining plungers. y l.

3. In a device as specified, the combination with a wheel felly, Y aclencher "rim thereon, and a hollow tire on the clencher rim, of aplurality of hollow saddleswithin the tire arranged in circular form andhaving concaved outer faces, nuts secured within thev saddles, and`bolts which pass through the felly into the nuts andfclamp the saddlesupon the annular lipsI of the, tire, a pneumatic tube supportedupontheconcaved faces of they saddlesaj,.plurality,of

tire supporting channeled .plungers, which' straddle the tube andoverlap the ls'addlesj'so as to inclose the tube, spacing devices,interposed betweenthe, ends of...thel adjoining plungers and a flexibleshield, interposed between the plungers and 'the tire. Y .j

Li. In a device as specifi dhef combina tion with a felly, ahollowtireon'ithe felly,

a circular support within the tire, a pneumatie tube upon the supportand plungers which straddle the tube and bear against the tireof'spaoing devices, interposed between 1' the ends of the adjoiningplungers, comprising metal plates, bent to Conform to the transversecurvature of the plungers and provided with central longitudinal Ushaped crimps, which are adapted to lie between the adjoining plungers,while the plate rests 10 upon the said plungers.

In testimony whereof I aX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES A. LEWIS.

